Drive or Fly: Sioux City, IA to Algona, IA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SUX–FOD. At 156 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 21m

Distance

156.1 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 19m

14m in the air

Air Distance

117 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sioux City, IA → SUX 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Algona, IA 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Sioux City, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

Algona, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SUX and FOD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 21m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

156.1 mi 3h 21m

via US 20, US 169, US 20 Business

Shortest (+2 min)

147.9 mi 3h 23m

via US 18, IA 60, US 75 Business

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sioux City, IA to Algona, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.